Remote

Remote Plot Summary

Introduction

The world of work is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional offices, with their rigid schedules and geographical constraints, are no longer the only option for productive employment. As technology advances and attitudes shift, more companies and individuals are discovering the liberating potential of remote work. This revolution isn't just changing where we work—it's redefining how we work, collaborate, and live. Remote work offers unprecedented freedom and flexibility, but it also presents unique challenges. How do you build trust when you can't see your colleagues? How do you maintain work-life boundaries when your office is your home? These questions require thoughtful solutions, but the rewards are substantial: access to global talent, increased productivity, reduced commuting stress, and the ability to design a work life that complements rather than competes with personal fulfillment. The remote revolution is here, and understanding how to navigate this new landscape is essential for thriving in the future of work.

Chapter 1: Embrace Location Independence as the New Normal

Location independence represents a fundamental shift in how we conceptualize work. No longer bound by geographical constraints, companies can access talent from anywhere while employees gain the freedom to live and work where they choose. This transformation challenges the industrial-age belief that meaningful work must happen in a centralized office during fixed hours. IBM exemplifies this shift with remarkable results. Since implementing their telework strategy in 1995, IBM has reduced office space by 78 million square feet, selling 58 million of those square feet for a gain of $1.9 billion. Their sublease income for unneeded leased space exceeded $1 billion, with continuing annual savings of $100 million in the U.S. and at least that much in Europe. With 40% of their 386,000 employees teleworking, their office space to employee ratio has shifted to 8:1, with some facilities as high as 15:1. These aren't just cost savings—they represent a complete reimagining of how a major corporation can operate. The benefits extend beyond corporate balance sheets. HP's Telework Calculator shows nearly $10,000 in annual savings for an SUV driver with a modest one-hour daily commute covering ten miles round trip. The environmental impact is equally impressive: IBM's remote work program saved five million gallons of fuel in 2007 alone, preventing more than 450,000 tons of CO2 emissions in the United States. To embrace location independence, start by recognizing that remote work isn't all-or-nothing. You can begin with a hybrid approach, allowing employees to work remotely a few days per week. Experiment with different arrangements—perhaps mornings at home for focused work and afternoons in the office for collaboration. The key is flexibility and finding what works for your specific team and projects. When implementing remote work, ensure everyone has access to the same information. Use centralized digital tools like Basecamp to store files, discussions, to-do lists, and calendars that keep workflow moving regardless of location. Create virtual spaces for both work collaboration and social interaction to maintain team cohesion. Remember that the true luxury of location independence isn't just avoiding a commute—it's the freedom to design your life around your priorities rather than your workplace. Whether that means living near family, in a more affordable location, or pursuing passions that require specific geography, remote work makes it possible to build a career without sacrificing personal fulfillment.

Chapter 2: Build Trust Through Results, Not Presence

Trust is the foundation of successful remote work. Traditional management often relies on visual supervision—the ability to see employees at their desks as proof they're working. Remote work fundamentally challenges this approach by shifting focus from presence to performance, from hours logged to outcomes achieved. Sir Richard Branson captured this principle perfectly when he wrote: "To successfully work with other people, you have to trust each other. A big part of this is trusting people to get their work done wherever they are, without supervision." This insight comes from experience—Virgin Group has embraced remote work across many of its companies, recognizing that results matter more than location. Chris Hoffman from the IT Collective offers a practical perspective on this trust-based approach: "If we're struggling with trust issues, it means we made a poor hiring decision. If a team member isn't producing good results or can't manage their own schedule and workload, we aren't going to continue to work with that person. It's as simple as that. We employ team members who are skilled professionals, capable of managing their own schedules and making a valuable contribution to the organization. We have no desire to be babysitters during the day." To build this results-oriented culture, start by clearly defining what success looks like for each role and project. Set specific, measurable goals that focus on deliverables rather than activities. When expectations are crystal clear, location becomes irrelevant—what matters is whether the work gets done well and on time. Create transparency through regular progress updates. At 37signals, they use a weekly discussion thread titled "What have you been working on?" where everyone shares their accomplishments from the past week and plans for the coming week. This simple practice creates accountability without micromanagement and helps everyone feel connected to the team's forward motion. Resist the urge to monitor activity as a proxy for productivity. Companies like Accurate Biometrics use software to constantly monitor remote workers' screens, but this surveillance approach undermines trust and focuses on the wrong metrics. Instead, evaluate people based on their output and the quality of their work. The shift to results-based management ultimately creates a more meritocratic workplace where performance speaks louder than politics or presence. When you can't see someone working, all that's left to judge is their work—and that's exactly as it should be.

Chapter 3: Master Communication Across Time Zones

Effective communication is the lifeblood of remote teams, especially when members are scattered across different time zones. The key shift is moving from synchronous communication (happening in real-time) to asynchronous collaboration (happening over time). This transition requires intentional practices and the right tools to ensure information flows smoothly regardless of when people are working. At 37signals, they've mastered this challenge despite having team members spread across the globe. When they started, one partner was in Copenhagen while the other was in Chicago—a seven-hour time difference. Their solution was to create a meaningful overlap in working hours: Copenhagen working from 11am to 7pm local time and Chicago from 8am to 5pm, providing four crucial hours of intersection. This arrangement allowed for real-time collaboration while still giving each person substantial time for focused, independent work. For asynchronous communication, 37signals relies heavily on Basecamp, their project management tool that serves as "a single, centralized place in the sky to put all the relevant files, discussions, to-do lists, and calendars that keep the workflow ticking." They complement this with GitHub for code sharing, allowing programmers to review and comment on each other's work across time zones. This approach ensures that important information isn't locked in a single person's computer or inbox. When real-time communication is necessary, screen sharing tools like WebEx prove invaluable. As the team discovered, "Every time we use something like WebEx, we're surprised at how effective it is. No, it's not 100 percent as effective—it lacks that last 1 or 2 percent of high-fidelity interaction—but it's much closer than you'd think." For asynchronous visual communication, they record screencasts—simple video recordings of their screens with narration—to demonstrate new features or explain complex ideas. To implement effective cross-time-zone communication, establish clear expectations about response times for different channels. At 37signals, they use a graduated system: questions that can wait hours go in email, those needing answers in the next few minutes go into instant messages, and true emergencies warrant a phone call. This approach ensures that 80% of questions aren't treated as urgent when they don't need to be. Create a "virtual water cooler" using chat tools like Campfire to maintain social connections across distances. This space allows for casual conversation, sharing of interesting links, and the kind of spontaneous interaction that builds team cohesion even when people rarely meet in person. The ultimate goal is communication that's both effective and efficient—ensuring everyone has the information they need without the constant interruptions that plague traditional offices.

Chapter 4: Create Boundaries Between Work and Life

When your home becomes your office, the line between professional and personal life can quickly blur. Without intentional boundaries, remote workers risk either constant distraction or, more commonly, overwork. Creating effective separation between work and personal time is essential for sustainable remote work. At 37signals, they've observed that overwork, not underwork, is the real enemy in remote environments. As they explain: "It's easy to turn work into your predominant hobby. Hmmm, my partner is off to see friends for the evening? Might as well just finish up this one project. Ah, it's raining this Saturday? Well, I guess I could just finish that one report for the Tuesday conference call." This pattern is especially dangerous because remote workers often love their work, making burnout harder to detect until it's too late. To combat this tendency, 37signals implements several creative strategies. From May to October, they give everyone an additional weekday off—providing more time to enjoy nice weather and decompress. They sponsor employees' hobbies and give tailored travel experiences as holiday gifts, encouraging memorable experiences with family and friends. These practices help ensure that work, while important, doesn't become all-consuming. For individual remote workers, establishing a consistent routine is crucial. Noah, a 37signals employee, uses a simple but effective technique—he has different slippers for work and home. This physical distinction helps him mentally separate professional and personal modes. Others find that getting dressed in "work clothes" (even if more casual than office attire) helps create the right mindset. Another effective approach is using different devices for work and play. As the book suggests: "A more plausible, human strategy is to separate the two completely by using different devices: simply reserve one computer for work and another for fun." This separation works especially well if your personal device can't run work applications, making it physically impossible to check work email or continue projects after hours. Creating physical boundaries within your home also helps. If possible, designate a specific area exclusively for work—ideally a separate room with a door you can close at the end of the workday. If space is limited, even a dedicated corner can serve as your "office," which you leave behind when work is done. Remember to check in regularly with yourself about work-life balance. Ask "Have I done a good day's work?" When the answer is yes, give yourself permission to stop, even if there's more that could be done. The goal isn't maximum hours—it's sustainable productivity and a fulfilling life both in and outside of work.

Chapter 5: Foster a Culture of Accountability

Accountability in remote teams doesn't come from watching people work—it comes from creating systems where results are visible and progress is transparent. This shift from monitoring presence to tracking outcomes is fundamental to successful remote work cultures. At 37signals, they've discovered that remote work actually enhances accountability by making it impossible to fake productivity. As they explain: "As the opportunities to schmooze in the office decrease, the focus on the work itself increases. Additionally, central online repositories for tracking tasks and reporting progress, like Basecamp, create an irrefutable paper trail showing what everyone is getting done and how long it's taking." This transparency naturally rewards quiet-but-productive workers who might be overlooked in traditional office environments. The company institutionalized accountability through their weekly "What have you been working on?" discussion thread. Everyone shares their accomplishments from the past week and plans for the coming week, creating visibility without micromanagement. This practice serves multiple purposes: it keeps everyone informed, provides a gentle reminder of shared commitments, and makes it difficult to exaggerate or misrepresent progress when your peers can see exactly what you're claiming. American Fidelity Assurance demonstrates another approach to accountability. When they implemented remote work, they started with a carefully selected pilot group and ensured all technology and infrastructure was in place before expanding the program. The pilot group members became "company advocates" for remote work, sharing their success stories with colleagues. Notably, their productivity increased so significantly that an open position was closed because it was no longer needed. To foster accountability in your remote team, start by hiring people who demonstrate the qualities Joel Spolsky identified as essential: "Smart, and Gets Things Done." Remote work quickly reveals who truly possesses these traits, as results become the primary measure of performance rather than office politics or face time. Set clear expectations about deliverables and deadlines, then give people autonomy in how they achieve those goals. Empower team members to make decisions independently rather than creating bottlenecks that require managerial approval for every step. At 37signals, they give everyone a company credit card with the simple instruction to "spend wisely," eliminating the need to request permission for necessary purchases. Create regular check-in rhythms that work for your team—whether daily stand-ups, weekly progress reports, or monthly reviews. The frequency matters less than the consistency and clarity these touchpoints provide. Remember that accountability works both ways—leaders must be accountable to their teams by removing obstacles, providing necessary resources, and being responsive to questions and concerns. When everyone feels responsible not just for their individual work but for the team's collective success, remote work can achieve remarkable results.

Chapter 6: Leverage Technology as Your Remote Office

Technology isn't just an enabler of remote work—it's the foundation that makes it possible. The right digital tools create a virtual workspace that can be even more effective than physical offices for many types of collaboration and communication. At 37signals, their technology stack evolved to support their increasingly distributed team. They created Basecamp as their central hub for project management, giving everyone "a single, centralized place in the sky to put all the relevant files, discussions, to-do lists, and calendars that keep the workflow ticking." This ensures that critical information isn't locked in any individual's computer or inbox but is accessible to everyone who needs it, regardless of location or time zone. For real-time collaboration, they rely on screen sharing tools like WebEx, which allows team members to demonstrate ideas visually rather than struggling to describe them verbally. As they discovered, "Much of the magic that people ascribe to sitting together in a room is really just this: being able to see and interact with the same stuff." When synchronous meetings aren't possible, they record screencasts—simple video recordings with narration—to share progress or explain complex concepts. The IT Collective, a film production and video marketing firm with team members in Colorado, New York, and Sydney, uses technology to support their creative workflow. Their editors occasionally switch to nocturnal mode when working on a new film, then overlap with the rest of the team just enough to review progress and get direction for the next night. This flexibility, enabled by digital tools, allows them to work when they're most productive. To create your own effective remote technology ecosystem, start with these essential components: First, establish a central project management system where work is organized, assigned, and tracked. Whether you use Basecamp, Asana, Trello, or another tool, the key is having one source of truth for project information. Second, implement both synchronous and asynchronous communication tools. Chat platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams support quick exchanges, while video conferencing solutions like Zoom or Google Meet enable face-to-face conversations when needed. Third, ensure secure access to shared files and resources. Cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive allow team members to access necessary documents from anywhere while maintaining version control. Fourth, invest in quality equipment for remote workers. Good headsets, webcams, and reliable internet connections dramatically improve the remote experience. At 37signals, they created an ergonomics checklist to ensure everyone's home setup supports both productivity and physical well-being. Remember that technology should reduce friction, not create it. Choose tools that are intuitive and integrate well with each other. The goal isn't to replicate the office experience exactly, but to create something potentially better—a digital workspace optimized for focus, collaboration, and results.

Summary

The remote revolution represents a fundamental reimagining of work—shifting focus from where work happens to what gets accomplished. Throughout this exploration, we've seen how location independence, results-based trust, effective communication, clear boundaries, accountability, and thoughtful technology implementation combine to create successful remote work environments. As Richard Branson insightfully predicted, "In thirty years' time, as technology moves forward even further, people are going to look back and wonder why offices ever existed." The path forward is clear: remote work is not a temporary trend but a permanent evolution in how we approach productivity, collaboration, and work-life integration. Whether you're an individual seeking more flexibility or a company looking to access global talent, now is the time to embrace these principles. Start small if necessary—perhaps with a hybrid schedule or a trial period—but start. The freedom to work from anywhere isn't just about location; it's about creating a more human-centered approach to work that benefits individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.

About Author

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Jason Fried

Jason Fried is the co-founder and President of 37signals. Jason believes there’s real value and beauty in the basics. Jason co-wrote all of 37signals books, and is invited to speak around the world on entrepreneurship, design, management, and software.

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